Barrier games are simple interactive activities where children are not allowed to see what other players are doing and have to speak and listen clearly to complete a task. The games help children learn how to give clear instructions and descriptions, listen well and ask good questions for clarification. Groupings can be varied with one person giving instructions to a group or whole class, or two teams, pairs or individuals positioned across a barrier from each other. The barrier can be a large piece of card, an A3 landscape ringbinder file, etc. Rather than use a barrier, children can sit back to back with a partner. There are endless possibilities for barrier game activities and resources. On the following pages are some instruction sheets which we produced to accompany packs of barrier game resources used in the Oracy Project. My job-share partner, Therese and I both enjoyed using barrier games whilst working as peripatetic EAL teachers and were keen to introduce them to children and teachers involved in the Oracy Project. We learned about barrier games on a training course about speaking and listening activities for EAL children given by Elaine Mace and at Talking Partners training by Gretl Young, Deputy Headteacher and EAL co-ordinator at Ingram Road Community Primary School in Leeds. Elaine Mace is an educational consultant, teacher, trainer and coach. Her website is at: http://elainemace.com/elaine.html Talking Partners is a structured oral language intervention programme designed by members of the Bradford Language and Literacy and Ethnic Minority Support teams. Further information can be obtained from Jan Hilditch/Clare Reed, Education Bradford on 01274 385706 or email: jan.hilditch@educationbradford.com The Bradford Primary Strategy team have recently published Barrier Games for Maths, an excellent guide to using barrier games in the daily maths lesson. This can be ordered from Jenny Lightowler at Education Bradford tel: 01274 385706. There is a useful section on barrier games together with many other speaking and listening activities in First Steps: Oral Language Resource Book; Rigby Heinemann: ISBN: 0731223608. Andrea Spiridon
Barrier Game: Threading beads Resources
• two knotted laces • two identical sets of large beads in different 3D shapes and colours • barrier
Vocabulary 3-D shapes e.g • sphere • cube • cylinder lace colours size e.g. • large • small • middlesized
Instructions
1. Discuss key vocabulary referring to the resources. 2. An adult can model the game with another adult or a child first.
3. Put the barrier up between
two players and explain that no one should look at the other side of the barrier. 4. One player threads a bead and then gives instructions to person on other side of the barrier to copy the action. 5. The listener asks questions for clarification, if necessary, then follows the instruction. 6. Continue with the same player giving instructions and the second checking and following the instructions until as many beads as desired are threaded. 7. Remove the barrier. 8. Check work and discuss.
Barrier Game: 2-D shapes and Grid Resources Barrier Two identical sets of coloured shapes • Two identical grids with blank or coloured squares. • With blank grids more vocabulary of direction is needed - can use left/right, top, middle, bottom labels • •
Vocabulary Shapes e.g. • circle • square • triangle • rectangle • hexagon grid colours size e.g. • large • small position e.g. • left • right • middle • top • bottom • above • below • next to
Instructions
1. Discuss key vocabulary referring to the resources. 2. An adult can model the game with another person first. 3. Put the barrier up between two players or two teams and explain that no one should look at the other side of the barrier. 4. One player places a shape on a square on the grid and then gives instructions to the other person or team to duplicate the action on the other side of the barrier. 5. The listener asks questions for clarification, if necessary, then follows the instruction. 6. Continue with the same player/team giving instructions and the second checking and following the instructions. 7. When all or as many squares as desired are covered, remove the barrier. 8. Check work and discuss.
Barrier Game: Duplo
Construction toy e.g. Duplo with or without grid
Resources
• Barrier • Two identical sets of a construction toy e.g. Duplo or Lego • Two identical grids – coloured or blank- optional • Left/right, top, middle, bottom labels - optional
Vocabulary brick colours size • large • small other descriptions of construction toy grid, square position e.g. • left • right • middle • top • bottom • above • below • next to
Instructions
1. Discuss key vocabulary referring to the resources. 2. An adult can model the game with another person first.
3. Put the barrier up between
two players or two teams and explain that no one should look at the other side of the barrier. 4. One player/team positions a brick in front of them or on a square on the grid and then gives instructions to the other player/team to duplicate the action on the other side of the barrier. 5. The listener asks questions for clarification, if necessary, then follows the instruction. 6. Continue with instructions, placing bricks on each other or other parts of the grid as required, checking and following instructions. 7. Remove the barrier. 8. Check work and discuss.
Barrier Game: What’s the difference cards
Resources
• A collection of sets of two pictures or cards which are similar but with a few significant differences e.g. from Colourcards “What’s the Difference?” cards.
Instructions
1. Discuss key vocabulary referring to the cards chosen. 2. An adult can model the game with another adult or a child first.
3. Put the barrier up
between players/ teams and explain that no one should look at the other side of the barrier. 4. Each player/team takes a card from a set of two.
5. Players question each other about their cards to find three differences between
them. 6. Remove the barrier. 7. Look at both cards and discuss the activity.
Barrier Game: Dress teddy Resources • Two identical teddy bear templates • Two identical sets of 6 heads with different faces and 6 bodies and pairs of legs with different clothes
Vocabulary head, face, body, arms, legs, feet expressions e.g. • happy • sad • worried • angry • laughing • smiling clothes e.g. • trousers • shirt • trunks • suit • jacket colours
Instructions
1. Discuss key vocabulary referring to the resources. 2. An adult can model the game with another adult or child first. 3. Put the barrier up between players and explain that no one should look at the other side of the barrier. 4. One player/team puts a head onto the template and then describes it to the other player/s. 5. The listener asks questions for clarification, if necessary, then uses the information gained to try to select the correct head and place it on their template. 6. This process is repeated for the selection of the teddy’s body and legs. 7. Remove barrier. 8. Check work and discuss.